New trustees appointed to Wexner Center Foundation Board

At its meeting on June 15, 2016, the Wexner Center Foundation board appointed three new trustees: David J. Campisi, chief executive officer and president of Big Lots, Inc.; Brenda J. Drake, attorney and university ambassador at The Ohio State University; and Brett Kaufman, chief executive officer of Kaufman Development. “The level of experience and skill that David Campisi, Brenda Drake, and Brett Kaufman possess is powerful,” says Wexner Center Foundation Board Chair Leslie H. Wexner. “All are deeply respected in their fields and bring not only their expertise to the board, but a deep commitment to Columbus and the university, all of which will amplify the cultural impact and offerings the Wexner Center for the Arts brings to our great city and beyond. It’s a pleasure to welcome them to the board.” David Campisi joined Big Lots in May 2013 and is a 30-year veteran of the retail industry. At Big Lots, he directs a range of initiatives to successfully leverage the company in merchandising, marketing, and operational excellence. Before he joined Big Lots, he was Chariman and CEO of Respect Your Universe (RYU), a company focused on premium performance apparel and equipment. Campisi is active in the Columbus community, serving on the Board of Directors for Nationwide Children’s Hospital. As university ambassador, Brenda J. Drake is actively engaged in events and initiatives on behalf of The Ohio State University at the local, regional, and national levels. She has worked as a lawyer, foundation executive, and university ambassador in both California and Ohio. A graduate of Stanford University and the UC Berkeley School of Law, Drake has also served as a director or trustee of organizations focused on education, international health, finance, civil rights and the arts, including the National Urban League, City Arts & Lectures in San Francisco, San Francisco University High School, Golden Gate Bank and the Greater Bay Bancorp Foundation. She is a director emerita and former board chair of EngenderHealth, Inc., an international women’s health organization, and was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the board of the California Health Professions Education Foundation. Brett Kaufman, founder and CEO of Kaufman Development, has been working in real estate development and investing in various asset types—both through the investment banking and development lens—for more than 18 years. He was twice named Developer of the Year by the Building Industry Association (BIA); is past president of the Columbus Apartment Association; and serves on many civic boards throughout Central Ohio. In 2012, he was named Next Generation Builder of the Year by the BIA, and in 2014, Brett was honored as Ernst & Young’s Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. The Wexner Center Foundation is a private, nonprofit partner of The Ohio State University Board of Trustees established for the overall purpose of advancing the interests of the Wexner Center for the Arts. Its primary role is to provide trustee guidance and sustained support for Wexner Center programming. The complete board list follows. Board of Trustees Leslie H. Wexner, Chair Michael V. Drake, MD, Vice Chair Bill Lambert, President Trustees David M. Aronowitz , President/CEO, The Gnoêsis Group Jeni Britton Bauer Founder/Chief Creative Officer, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams Shelley Bird Executive Vice President, Office of the CEO Cardinal Health Michael J. Canter Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP Adam Flatto President, The Georgetown Company Sherri Geldin Director, Wexner Center for the Arts at The Ohio State University Ann Gilbert Getty Publisher/Philanthropist Michael Glimcher CEO, WP Glimcher Elizabeth P. Kessler Partner-in-Charge, Jones Day C. Robert Kidder Director, Merck & Co. Inc., Advanced Drainage Systems, and Microvi Biotech Nancy Kramer Founder/Chairman, Resource/Ammirati James E. Kunk President, Central Region, Huntington National Bank Mark D. Kvamme Co-Founder, Drive Capital James Lyski Marketing Executive Ronald A. Pizzuti Chairman/CEO, The Pizzuti Companies Robert P. Powers Executive Vice President/COO, American Electric Power (AEP) Janet B. Reid, PhD Founding Partner (retired), Global Novations, a Korn/Ferry International Company Joyce Shenk Community Volunteer Alex Shumate Managing Partner, North America Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP Abigail S. Wexner Attorney/Community Advocate John F. Wolfe Chairman, The Dispatch Printing Company Ex Officio Peter L. Hahn Divisional Dean of Arts and Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences; Professor of History The Ohio State University Bruce A. McPheron Executive Vice President/Provost, The Ohio State University Bruce A. Soll Counselor, L Brands Inc. Mark E. Vannatta Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease